Address Resolution Protocol (ARP)

Address Resolution Protocol (ARP)

ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) is a Layer 2 Protocol. Layer 2 uses Physicall addresses (MAC addresses) for the communication. Here, ARP is used to convert a given IP address to the related hardware address (MAC Address) to provide this. This important duty makes this protocol a key protocol for Ethernet based networks.

Basically for the transfer of the IP packets in a network, beside the IP adddress, the destination hardware address (MAC Address) also must be known by the sender (Source). If this destination MAC Address is known, then the source can send this packet to the destination. But if the destination MAC Address is not known, before the transmission, it must learn this MAC Address.

How does ARP Works?

We can explain ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) operation in three different case. These three different case also has its own ARP type. These cases and the ARP types are: